Problem

[danielbholmes]

There are a few local fire and police departments (Bellingham, Framingham, Medfield) in my area that used to come in clearly but now are mostly static. This holds true across several scanners with a couple of different antennas. I've double checked the frequencies and DSC/CTCSS codes and they are what is listed in the database. And again they used to come in very clear. I noticed that other stations that DO come in clear, show the frequency and the CTCSS code on my BCT15X, but the stations that are static are only showing the frequency and NOT the CTCSS. Does that maybe mean the the CTCSS has changed for these frequencies? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[ecps92]

Please be specific as to Freq and tones programmed. IT helps vs talking in generalities

Are you hearing them weak or just white noise ?
Some PD's have gone P25 which could be the Static/white noise

There are a few local fire and police departments (Bellingham, Framingham, Medfield) in my area that used to come in clearly but now are mostly static. This holds true across several scanners with a couple of different antennas. I've double checked the frequencies and DSC/CTCSS codes and they are what is listed in the database. And again they used to come in very clear. I noticed that other stations that DO come in clear, show the frequency and the CTCSS code on my BCT15X, but the stations that are static are only showing the frequency and NOT the CTCSS. Does that maybe mean the the CTCSS has changed for these frequencies? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[garys]

Framingham and Medfield are still analog. Or were last week. All entities using frequencies in the UHF and VHF bands were required to go to narrow band channel spacing a few years ago. Part of that process seems to have resulted in those systems also reducing power. At least that's been the effect. Boston public safety frequencies that I used to get quite clearly up to 30 miles south of the city are now scratchy as well. Easton is a neighboring town to mine, yet I can barely hear them on a scanner without an outside antenna.

CTCSS will not affect that. If you had the wrong tone, you wouldn't hear anything at all.

If it's a P25 system, you'll hear a buzzing sound, not white noise or static. Mansfield is P25, so if you put their frequency into you 15X, you'll hear what I'm talking about.

Other than a better antenna system, there isn't much you can do.

 

[danielbholmes]

Thanks for the responses. Yeah there isn't the buzzing like you describe for P25. It's very faint audio with lots of static. A HAM friend of mine also mentioned the narrow band. Is there a reason why the CTSS code doesn't show on the scanner when these problem frequencies are keyed up? Is it because the signal is weak? All the of the frequencies that come in clear, always show the freq and CTSS on the display.

483.76250 WII729 RM 114.8 PL Framnghm FD Fire Department FM Fire Dispatch
471.76250 WIG750 RM 131.8 PL Framnghm PD Police Department FM Law Dispatch

482.47500 WPMB685 RM 065 DPL Medfield FD Fire Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
471.70000 WPYQ790 RM 065 DPL Medfield PD Police Dispatch FM Law Dispatch

483.38750 WPRG438 RM 065 DPL Bellnghm FD Fire Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
471.02500 WPXJ748 RM 025 DPL Bellnghm PD Police Dispatch FM Law Dispatch

 

[FKimble]

The tone may only be on the input of the repeater to activate it. All repeaters do not send out a tone. For monitoring, you should be able to delete the tones and still receive the transmission.

Frank KK4YTM

 

[ecps92]

99.999% of Public Safety here in New England pass tones on the output and if the Tone is listed in the RRDB or SNE Wiki it is the output tone

The tone may only be on the input of the repeater to activate it. All repeaters do not send out a tone. For monitoring, you should be able to delete the tones and still receive the transmission.

Frank KK4YTM

 

[ecps92]

Those are correct Freq/Tones and as Gary pointed out, many agencies are running lower power [not just with Narrowband] but there is absolutely NO NEED to run in excess of covering your own community, especially with the abundance of Mutual Aid Channels available as well as the excessive number of channels / zones / banks programmed at the department level where they can/do switch to the neighboring community when responding/working there.

Thanks for the responses. Yeah there isn't the buzzing like you describe for P25. It's very faint audio with lots of static. A HAM friend of mine also mentioned the narrow band. Is there a reason why the CTSS code doesn't show on the scanner when these problem frequencies are keyed up? Is it because the signal is weak? All the of the frequencies that come in clear, always show the freq and CTSS on the display.

483.76250 WII729 RM 114.8 PL Framnghm FD Fire Department FM Fire Dispatch
471.76250 WIG750 RM 131.8 PL Framnghm PD Police Department FM Law Dispatch

482.47500 WPMB685 RM 065 DPL Medfield FD Fire Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
471.70000 WPYQ790 RM 065 DPL Medfield PD Police Dispatch FM Law Dispatch

483.38750 WPRG438 RM 065 DPL Bellnghm FD Fire Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch
471.02500 WPXJ748 RM 025 DPL Bellnghm PD Police Dispatch FM Law Dispatch

 

[garys]

What ecps92 said. Public safety systems have tons on both sides of the system. Some even use different input and output tones. I know of one system that way back used a non standard tone to keep unauthorized people from keying up their repeater.

The tone may only be on the input of the repeater to activate it. All repeaters do not send out a tone. For monitoring, you should be able to delete the tones and still receive the transmission.

Frank KK4YTM

 

[danielbholmes]

Thanks for the responses guys. I MAY have figured it out. It appears on the frequencies I'm having trouble with, the modulation was set to AUTO instead of FM. Framingham is already coming in good. Haven't heard anything on the others yet but it is promising.

 

[garys]

That shouldn't change anything, but maybe it was "autoing" to NFM instead of FM. None of the frequencies that you listed were required to be narrow banded, but by the time the FCC decided that, many departments had done the work (and paid the money).

Thanks for the responses guys. I MAY have figured it out. It appears on the frequencies I'm having trouble with, the modulation was set to AUTO instead of FM. Framingham is already coming in good. Haven't heard anything on the others yet but it is promising.